List of Governors of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced. The governor is also the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.
There have been 38 governors; many have been influential nationwide in areas far-flung from politics. Leland Stanford founded Stanford University in 1891. Earl Warren, later Chief Justice of the United States, won an election with the nominations of the three major parties – the only person ever to run essentially unopposed for governor of California. Ronald Reagan, who was president of the Screen Actors Guild and later President of the United States, and Arnold Schwarzenegger both came to prominence through acting. Gray Davis, the 37th governor of California, was the second governor in American history to be recalled by voters. The shortest tenure was that of Milton Latham, who served only five days before being elected by the legislature to fill a vacant United States Senate seat. The longest tenure is that of the current governor, Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr., who previously served as governor from 1975 to 1983 and has been serving again since 2011. He is the son of former governor Edmund Gerald "Pat" Brown, Sr. who served from 1959-1967.
Contents
Governors
- For the governors prior to statehood, see the List of Governors of California before admission.
California was obtained by the United States in the Mexican Cession following the Mexican–American War. Unlike most other states, it was never organized as a territory, and was admitted as the 31st state on September 9, 1850.
The original California Constitution of 1849 called for elections every two years, with no set start date for the term. An amendment ratified in 1862 increased the term to four years,[1] and the 1879 constitution set the term to begin on the first Monday in January following an election. In 1990, Proposition 140 led to a constitutional amendment[2] implementing a term limit of two terms;[3] prior to this limit, only one governor, Earl Warren, served more than two terms. Jerry Brown was able to be elected to a third term in 2010 because his previous terms were before the term limit was enacted. The 1849 constitution also created the office of lieutenant governor, who, in cases of vacancy in the office of governor, becomes governor.[4] The governor and lieutenant governor are not elected on the same ticket.
List of governors
Democratic (16) American (1) Republican (22) Progressive (1) |
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№ | Portrait | Governor | Term in office | Party | Term[lower-alpha 1] | Previous office | Lieutenant Governor | |||
1 | Peter Hardeman Burnett November 15, 1807 – May 17, 1895 (Aged 87) |
December 20, 1849 – January 9, 1851 |
Democratic | 1 [lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 3] |
None | John McDougall | ||||
2 | John McDougall ca. 1818 – March 30, 1866 (Aged 48) |
January 9, 1851 – January 8, 1852 |
Democratic | 1st Lieutenant Governor of California (1849–1851) |
David C. Broderick (acting) |
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3 | John Bigler January 8, 1805 – November 29, 1871 (Aged 66) |
January 8, 1852 – January 9, 1856 |
Democratic | 2 | 2nd Speaker of the California Assembly (1850–1851) |
Samuel Purdy | ||||
3 | ||||||||||
4 | J. Neely Johnson August 2, 1825 – August 31, 1872 (Aged 47) |
January 9, 1856 – January 8, 1858 |
American | 4 | California State Assemblyman |
Robert M. Anderson | ||||
5 | John B. Weller February 22, 1812 – August 17, 1875 (Aged 63) |
January 8, 1858 – January 9, 1860 |
Democratic | 5 | U.S. Senator from California (1852-1857) |
John Walkup | ||||
6 | Milton Latham May 23, 1827 – March 4, 1882 (Aged 54) |
January 9, 1860 – January 14, 1860 |
Democratic | 6 [lower-alpha 4] |
U.S. Representative for California's At-large (1853-1855) |
John G. Downey | ||||
7 | John G. Downey June 24, 1827 – March 1, 1894 (Aged 66) |
January 14, 1860 – January 10, 1862 |
Democratic | 6th Lieutenant Governor of California (1860) |
Isaac N. Quinn (acting) January 14, 1860 – January 7, 1861 |
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Pablo de la Guerra (acting) January 7, 1861 – January 10, 1862 |
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8 | Leland Stanford March 9, 1824 – June 21, 1893 (Aged 69) |
January 10, 1862 – December 10, 1863 |
Republican | 7 | None | John F. Chellis | ||||
9 | Frederick Low June 30, 1828 – July 21, 1894 (Aged 66) |
December 10, 1863 – December 5, 1867 |
Republican | 8 [lower-alpha 5] |
U.S. Representative for California's At-large (1862-1863) |
Tim N. Machin | ||||
10 | Henry Huntly Haight May 20, 1825 – September 2, 1878 (Aged 53) |
December 5, 1867 – December 8, 1871 |
Democratic | 9 | None | William Holden | ||||
11 | 150px | Newton Booth December 30, 1825 – July 14, 1892 (Aged 66) |
December 8, 1871 – February 27, 1875 |
Republican | 10 [lower-alpha 6] |
California State Senator | Romualdo Pacheco | |||
12 | Romualdo Pacheco October 31, 1831 – January 23, 1899 (Aged 67) |
February 27, 1875 – December 9, 1875 |
Republican | 9th Lieutenant Governor of California (1849–1851) |
William Irwin (acting) |
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13 | William Irwin ca. 1827 – March 15, 1886 (Aged 58–59) |
December 9, 1875 – January 8, 1880 |
Democratic | 11 | Acting Lieutenant Governor of California |
James A. Johnson | ||||
14 | George Clement Perkins August 23, 1839 – February 26, 1923 (Aged 83) |
January 8, 1880 – January 10, 1883 |
Republican | 12 | California State Senator | John Mansfield | ||||
15 | George Stoneman August 8, 1822 – September 5, 1894 (Aged 72) |
January 10, 1883 – January 8, 1887 |
Democratic | 13 | Major General Union Army |
John Daggett | ||||
16 | Washington Bartlett February 29, 1824 – September 12, 1887 (Aged 63) |
January 8, 1887 – September 12, 1887 |
Democratic | 14 [lower-alpha 7] |
20th Mayor of San Francisco (1883-1887) |
Robert Waterman | ||||
17 | Robert Waterman December 15, 1826 – April 12, 1891 (Aged 64) |
September 12, 1887 – January 8, 1891 |
Republican | 17th Lieutenant Governor of California |
Stephen M. White[lower-alpha 8] (acting) |
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18 | Henry Markham November 16, 1840 – October 9, 1923 (Aged 82) |
January 8, 1891 – January 11, 1895 |
Republican | 15 | U.S. Representative for California's 1st (1885-1887) |
John B. Reddick | ||||
19 | James Budd May 18, 1851 – July 30, 1908 (Aged 57) |
January 11, 1895 – January 4, 1899 |
Democratic | 16 | U.S. Representative for California's 2nd (1883-1885) |
Spencer G. Millard[lower-alpha 9][lower-alpha 10] January 11, 1895 – October 24, 1895 |
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William T. Jeter October 24, 1895 – January 4, 1899 |
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20 | Henry Gage December 25, 1852 – August 28, 1924 (Aged 71) |
January 4, 1899 – January 7, 1903 |
Republican | 17 | None | Jacob H. Neff | ||||
21 | 150px | George Pardee July 25, 1857 – September 1, 1941 (Aged 84) |
January 7, 1903 – January 9, 1907 |
Republican | 18 | 29th Mayor of Oakland (1893-1895) |
Alden Anderson | |||
22 | James Gillett September 20, 1860 – April 20, 1937 (Aged 76) |
January 9, 1907 – January 3, 1911 |
Republican | 19 | U.S. Representative for California's 1st (1903-1906) |
Warren R. Porter | ||||
23 | Hiram Johnson September 2, 1866 – August 6, 1945 (Aged 78) |
January 3, 1911 – March 15, 1917 |
Republican | 20 | None | A.J. Wallace | ||||
Progressive | 21 [lower-alpha 11] |
John M. Eshleman[lower-alpha 12] (January 5, 1915 – February 28, 1916) |
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Vacant February 28, 1916 – July 22, 1916 |
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William Stephens[lower-alpha 9] (July 22, 1916 - March 15, 1917) |
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24 | William Stephens December 26, 1859 – April 25, 1944 (Aged 84) |
March 15, 1917 – January 8, 1923 |
Republican | 27th Lieutenant Governor of California (1916–1917) |
Vacant | |||||
22 | C.C. Young | |||||||||
25 | Friend Richardson December 1, 1865 – September 6, 1943 (Aged 77) |
January 9, 1923 – January 4, 1927 |
Republican | 23 | 21st California State Treasurer (1915-1923) |
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26 | C.C. Young April 28, 1869 – December 24, 1947 (Aged 78) |
January 4, 1927 – January 6, 1931 |
Republican | 24 | 29th Lieutenant Governor of California (1919–1927) |
Buron Fitts (1927-1928) |
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H. L. Carnahan (1928-1931) |
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27 | James Rolph August 23, 1869 – June 2, 1934 (Aged 64) |
January 6, 1931 – June 2, 1934 |
Republican | 25 [lower-alpha 13] |
30th Mayor of San Francisco (1912-1931) |
Frank Merriam | ||||
28 | Frank Merriam December 22, 1865 – April 25, 1955 (Aged 89) |
June 2, 1934 – January 2, 1939 |
Republican | 31st Lieutenant Governor of California (1931–1934) |
Vacant | |||||
26 | George J. Hatfield | |||||||||
29 | 150px | Culbert Olson November 7, 1876 – April 13, 1962 (Aged 85) |
January 2, 1939 – January 4, 1943 |
Democratic | 27 | California State Senator | Vacant | |||
Ellis E. Patterson (1939-1943) |
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30 | Earl Warren March 19, 1891 – July 9, 1974 (Aged 83) |
January 4, 1943 – October 5, 1953 |
Republican[lower-alpha 14] | 28 | 20th Attorney General of California (1939–1943) |
Frederick Houser | ||||
29 | Goodwin Knight | |||||||||
30[lower-alpha 15] | ||||||||||
31 | Goodwin Knight December 9, 1896 – May 22, 1970 (Aged 73) |
October 5, 1953 – January 5, 1959 |
Republican | 35th Lieutenant Governor of California (1947–1953) |
Harold J. Powers | |||||
31 | ||||||||||
32 | Pat Brown April 21, 1905 – February 16, 1996 (Aged 90) |
January 5, 1959 – January 2, 1967 |
Democratic | 32 | 23rd Attorney General of California (1951–1959) |
Glenn M. Anderson | ||||
33 | ||||||||||
33 | Ronald Reagan February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004 (Aged 93) |
January 2, 1967 – January 6, 1975 |
Republican | 34 | None | Robert Finch (1967-1969) |
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Edwin Reinecke (1969-1974) |
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35 | ||||||||||
John L. Harmer (1974-1975) |
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34 | Jerry Brown April 7, 1938 |
January 6, 1975 – January 3, 1983 |
Democratic | 36 | 24th Secretary of State of California (1971–1975) |
Mervyn M. Dymally | ||||
37 | Michael Curb[lower-alpha 9] | |||||||||
35 | George Deukmejian June 6, 1928 |
January 3, 1983 – January 7, 1991 |
Republican | 38 | 27th Attorney General of California (1979–1983) |
Leo T. McCarthy[lower-alpha 8] | ||||
39 | ||||||||||
36 | Pete Wilson August 3, 1933 |
January 7, 1991 – January 4, 1999 |
Republican | 40 | U.S. Senator from California (1983-1991) |
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41 | Gray Davis[lower-alpha 8] | |||||||||
37 | Gray Davis December 26, 1942 |
January 4, 1999 – November 17, 2003 |
Democratic | 42 |
44th Lieutenant Governor of California (1995-1999) |
Cruz Bustamante[lower-alpha 8] | ||||
43 [lower-alpha 16] |
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38 | 150px | Arnold Schwarzenegger July 30, 1947 |
November 17, 2003 – January 3, 2011 |
Republican | None | |||||
44 | John Garamendi[lower-alpha 8] (2007-2009) |
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Abel Maldonado[lower-alpha 9][lower-alpha 17] (2009-2011) |
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39 | Jerry Brown April 7, 1938 |
January 3, 2011 – Incumbent |
Democratic | 45 | 31st Attorney General of California (2007-2011) 34th Governor of California (1975-2,093) |
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Gavin Newsom[lower-alpha 17] (2011 - present) |
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46 [lower-alpha 18] |
Other high offices held
Seventeen governors of California have served other high offices, including one President of the United States, a Chief Justice of the United States, and five ambassadors. Thirteen have served in the U.S. Congress, all representing California, though one of them also represented Ohio.
Governor | Other offices held | Source |
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John Bigler | Minister to Chile | [10] |
John B. Weller | Representative from Ohio Senator from California Minister to Mexico |
[11] |
Milton Latham | Representative from California Senator from California |
[12] |
Leland Stanford | Senator from California | [13] |
Frederick Low | Representative from California Minister to the Great Qing Empire |
[14] |
Newton Booth | Senator from California | [15] |
Romualdo Pacheco | Representative from California Minister to Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua |
[16] |
George Clement Perkins | Senator from California | [17] |
Henry Markham | Representative from California | [18] |
James Budd | Representative from California | [19] |
Henry Gage | Minister to Portugal | [20] |
James Gillett | Representative from California | [21] |
Hiram Johnson | Senator from California | [22] |
William Stephens | Representative from California | [23] |
Earl Warren | Chief Justice of the United States | [24] |
Ronald Reagan | President of the United States | [25] |
Pete Wilson | Senator from California | [26] |
Living former U.S. governors of California
There are four former governors of California who are currently alive, the oldest being George Deukmejian, born 1928. The most recent death of a former governor was that of Ronald Reagan (served 1967-1975, born 1911) on June 5, 2004. Jerry Brown, who served as governor from 1975 to 1983, is currently serving and thus is not included on this list.
Governor | Years in office | Date of birth (and age) |
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George Deukmejian | 1983–1991 | June 6, 1928 |
Pete Wilson | 1991–1999 | August 23, 1933 |
Gray Davis | 1999–2003 | December 26, 1942 |
Arnold Schwarzenegger | 2003–2011 | July 30, 1947 |
See also
Notes
- ↑ Each term for which a governor is elected is listed here; if multiple governors served in a single term, due to resignations, deaths, and the like, then that term will be shared among those governors. If a governor was elected multiple times, then there will be multiple terms listed for that governor.
- ↑ A civilian government was formed in late 1849 prior to official statehood, and operated as the state government for ten months before official statehood was granted.[5]
- ↑ Burnett resigned, citing personal reasons; he was reportedly unhappy with the legislature, and wanted more time to manage his business.[6] As lieutenant governor, McDougall became governor.
- ↑ Latham resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate. As lieutenant governor, Downey became governor.
- ↑ An 1862 constitutional amendment increased the office's term length from two to four years.
- ↑ Booth resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate. As lieutenant governor, Pacheco became governor.
- ↑ Bartlett died in office; as lieutenant governor, Waterman became governor.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Represented the Democratic Party (United States).
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Represented the Republican Party (United States).
- ↑ Died in office.
- ↑ Johnson resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate. As lieutenant governor, Stephens became governor.
- ↑ Died in office.[7]
- ↑ Rolph died in office; as lieutenant governor, Merriam became governor.
- ↑ Warren ran as a Republican for his first and third terms. For his second term, he won the nomination of the Republican, Democratic, and Progressive parties.
- ↑ Warren resigned to become Chief Justice of the United States. As lieutenant governor, Knight became governor.
- ↑ Davis was recalled and Schwarzenegger chosen to replace him in a special recall election.[8]
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Newsom delayed his swearing in as lieutenant governor until January 10, 2011, to remain mayor of San Francisco; Maldonado stayed on as lieutenant governor until then.[9]
- ↑ Governor Brown's fourth term expires on January 7, 2019; he will be term limited.
References
- General
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- JoinCalifornia.com - Dates of birth and death for Governors
- Constitutions
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- Specific
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- ↑ CA Const. art. V, § 2
- ↑ CA Const. art. V, § 10
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External links
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